Community Foundation of South Jersey Announces Five Transform South Jersey Grant Recipients

Grantees will receive $100,000 in funding to help build stronger, healthier, and more economically vibrant communities

Haddonfield, NJ - The Community Foundation of South Jersey, whose mission is to inspire generosity, manage & deploy permanent charitable assets, and exercise collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region, today announced the Transform South Jersey Heart & Soul grant recipients. Five communities were awarded grants of $100,000 to support initiatives that bring people together in order to build stronger, healthier, and more economically vibrant communities.

 

Transform South Jersey is a collaboration between the Community Foundation of South Jersey, the  Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, New Jersey Health Initiatives (the statewide grantmaking program of the  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), the OceanFirst Foundation, the Orton Family Foundation, and the  Wells Fargo Regional Community Development Corporation. Using the Orton Family Foundation’s national model, Transform South Jersey will help strengthen the social, cultural, and economic vibrancy of the selected communities.

The following have been named Transform South Jersey Heart & Soul Communities:

• Atlantic County – Hammonton, through the Hammonton Revitalization Corporation
• County – Willingboro, through the Willingboro Community Development Corporation
• County – Winslow Township, through the Winslow Township School District
• County – Downe Township, through the Cumberland County Improvement Authority
• Salem County – Salem, through Stand Up for Salem

“It was an extremely difficult decision to make, as all of the towns put in an incredible amount of work to mobilize their community and build momentum for Community Heart & Soul,” said Andy Fraizer, executive director of the Community Foundation of South Jersey, “We’re excited that these five communities will join over 80 other Community Heart & Soul projects taking place across the country, creating positive change that is resident-driven, and that recognizes value in the unique character of each place and the emotional connection of the people who live there.”

Over 190 South Jersey communities spanning the eight counties served by the Community Foundation of South Jersey were eligible for the grant opportunity. Of those, 32 municipalities were nominated for consideration and 21 municipalities completed applications.

Along with the skills and knowledge gained from the Community Heart & Soul work, the Community Foundation of South Jersey will establish a separate endowed fund for each of the selected communities. Local convening partners in each town will have access to these funds in order to support the full-scale implementation of the Community Heart & Soul model, including costs associated with staffing, marketing, and communications. In addition to funding, community partners will receive exclusive coaching, training, and technical assistance.

“For most communities, completing the four phases of Community Heart & Soul takes about two years, but the completion of the Community Heart & Soul model is just the beginning,” Fraizer continued. “In addition to completing the model, each community has also committed to raising endowments of at least

$25,000 to serve as the endowed portion of their community fund. These funds will allow the communities to support projects they both identify and care about for years to come.”

“I would also be remiss if I did not thank our outstanding partner organizations that are collaborating with us to bring Community Heart & Soul to South Jersey. Their funding support is critical, but it’s their ideas, advocacy, volunteer support, and more that’s crucial to supporting local decision makers as they work to build stronger, thriving, and more equitable communities,” Fraizer said.

To learn more about the selected communities and their progress as they embark on Community Heart & Soul, visit transformsouthjersey.org.

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About the Partners

Community Foundation of South Jersey
The Community Foundation of South Jersey (CFSJ) envisions an eight-county region thriving where all neighbors aspire, succeed, participate, and give. The vision is realized as CFSJ inspires generosity, manages and deploys permanent charitable assets, and exercises collaborative leadership to create a more equitable region. CFSJ works with South Jersey philanthropists, local nonprofits, and neighbors to build capital, contribute assets, and create permanent endowments for impact in perpetuity. By aligning donor interests and using the investment earnings on each of its endowed funds, CFSJ makes grants and builds leadership within the community to create thriving, equitable, and livable communities for all.

Currently, CFSJ manages assets of $22 million in donor-advised funds. Along with its fund-holders, CFSJ has issued more than $9 million in nonprofit grants and scholarships. Learn more about CFSJ at  CommunityFoundationSJ.org.

Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation envisions an equitable New Jersey through creative, engaged, sustainable communities. Dodge supports arts, education, environment, informed communities, and poetry to connect communities and influence social change to achieve this vision. Dodge stewards and leverages all our resources, financial and human, and partners with and supports the nonprofit sector to be valued and effective influencers for community-level change in New Jersey, with a priority focus on elevating the voices and power of those communities that have been historically and systematically excluded from investment and opportunity. For more information, please visit grdodge.org.